1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an electronic apparatus in which an outer case formed of a thin metal plate is mounted in an apparatus case, with a middle member formed of a resin material interposed therebetween.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, some electronic apparatuses, particularly, some portable electronic apparatuses have an apparatus case formed of a metal plate in order to realize the slimness and improve the strength (for example, see JP-A-2004-335644).
Moreover, there is provided a cellular phone which is an example of the electronic apparatus, in which an outer case formed of a metal plate is mounted outside the apparatus case in order to improve the strength, a sense of beauty, and a sense of touch.
As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a known cellular phone A includes a lower case B with several operational keys and the like, an upper case C with a liquid crystal display unit and the like, and a hinge H interposed therebetween so as to be opened and closed.
The upper case C of the cellular phone A is configured in a manner in which an outer case O formed of a thin metal plate by a press molding process is attached outside an upper inner case I made of a magnesium alloy, for example, with a middle case (middle member) M formed of a resin material interposed therebetween.
The outer case O includes a front plate of and side plates Os bent from the borders of the front plate Of. The middle case M also includes a top plate Mt and circumferential plates Ms bent from the borders of the top plate Mt. The middle case M is fixed to the inner surface of the outer case O using a strong adhesive or a double-sided adhesive tape.
Attachment bosses Mb are formed on the top plate Mt of the middle case M. In addition, the outer case O is fixed to the upper inner case I, with the middle case M interposed therebetween by screw-fixing the upper inner case I to the attachment bosses Mb.
Various circuit boards E are mounted in the upper inner case I, and a liquid crystal display unit L and a cover glass G are attached to the front surface of the upper inner case I (lower side of FIG. 16).
In the outer circumferential border of the upper inner case I, a rib Ir is formed for covering an edge Oe of the outer case O formed of a thin metal plate in order to prevent the edge Oe of the outer case O from being exposed to the outside and from being damaged by user's fingers beforehand.
However, in the known cellular phone A described above, the edge Oe of each side plate Os of the outer case O is covered with the rib Ir formed in the outer circumferential border of the upper inner case I. For that reason, the rib Ir is exposed to the outside across the entire circumference of the side plates Os of the outer case O. Accordingly, even though the outer case O is made of metal, there occurs a problem in that design of the cellular phone becomes deteriorated.
Moreover, in the known cellular phone A, the middle case M and the outer case O are fixed with each other by the strong adhesive or the like, as described above. For that reason, when a large external force is applied to the outer case O against the adhesive force in a case where the middle case M and the outer case O are detached from each other in order to make repair, the outer case O formed of the thin metal plate becomes distorted. Accordingly, there occurs a problem in that the repair job is difficult.